Desk-tray.



L. SEN GE.

DESK TRAY.

APPLIOATIOI rzmm 111 11.11, 1010.

982,538. Patented Jan. 24,1911.

f/zyQ/zfa' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LIBORIUS SENGE, OF CRESCENT SPRINGS, KENTUCKY, ASSIG'NOR TO THE GLOBE- WERNICKE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

DESK-TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Application filed April 11, 1910. Serial No. 554,844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LmomUs Saxon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crescent Springs, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desk- Trays, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to desk trays wherein it is desired to permit ready access to several trays while occupying the space of only one tray on a desk and without the necessity of moving the upper trays for the purpose of gaining access to the contents of the lower ones, and at the same time providing trays which may be used independently of each other and which when so used are identical with those now in use.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient corner pieces or legs which are adapted to be brought into engagement with the corners of a lower tray and the bottom of an upper tray in such manner that the two trays are united to form a structure of sutlicient strength to Withstand all the handling and the weight of contents that such a structure must receive in actual use and at the same time to permit the removal of the corner pieces from either or both the trays without damaging the trays and without necessitating the removal of their contents. From this it will be seen that a tray can be transferred from one department of an office to another and added to an assembly of trays without the necessity of removing its contents thereby effecting a saving in time and preventing confusion and a possible mixing of the contents of various trays.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a tier of trays, three high, showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view showing a corner iece and the corners of two trays, the parts in the positions they occupy when in service. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the corner pieces. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the corner pieces.

The same numerals of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures.

In the drawing 1 re resents the bottom; 2, 2 the sides and 3, 3 tie ends of any ordi nary or suitable desk tray. The bottom 1 of each of the trays has a hole 4 through it at each corner and just inside the corner formed by the sides and ends? and 3. The corner pieces or le s consist of a right angularly bent piece 0? sheet metal 5 having its top edges bent inwardly at right angles, as at 6, Figs. 3 and 4 to form a foot for the tray. Soldered or otherwise suitably secured within the angle of the corner piece is a bent spring 7 formed of wire, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring 7 projects above the top of the corner piece 5 and is cut short of the bottom of the corner piece as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

To assemble the corner pieces on the trays the lower part of the spring 7 is brought into engagement with a corner of one of the trays, the corner piece bein pushed down until its lower edge comes 1n contact with the bottom 1, this operation being repeated using a separate corner piece for each corner thus erecting four legs upon which to mount a second tray. The holes 4 in the bottom 1 of the second tray are brought into engagement with the upper ends of the Wire springs 7 and pushed down thereon until the bottom of the tray comes into contact with the inwardly bent top edges 6 of the corner pieces 5 thus completing the assembling of two trays and four corner pieces. To add a third tray four more corner pieces are attached as before mentioned to the corners of the second tray and the holes in the bottom of the third tray are brought into engagement with the upper ends of the spring 7 and pushed down thereon as before described to complete the mounting of the third tray; and in like manner any number of trays may be built onto the assembly, as will be readily understood.

The proceeding described above for assembling, if reversed, will accomplish disassembling.

It will be seen that trays may be added to or removed from this assembly without disturbing their contents from the fact that all the connections are 'made directly in the corners and can be either made or unmade without the necessity of inverting the trays or otherwise disturbing their contents.

Vhile I have shown the corner pieces as consisting of sheet metal and spring wire,

it is obvious that a number of modifications I might be'employed to accomplish the detachable connection between varlous trays, without in any way departing from the principle 5 here employed.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim- 1. In desk trays, the combination of a plurality of trays, consisting of bottom, sides and ends, a hole in each corner of each tray' plurality of trays, and removable sheet metal corner pieces carrying engaging springs and adapted to engage two trays one above the other, substantially as described.

3. In desk trays, the combination of a plu-- rality of trays, sheet metal corner pieces carrying wire springs, the lower ends of WhlCh removably engage the corners of one tray and the upper ends removably engage the bottom of a second tray substantially as 25 described.

LIBORIUS SENGE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. PEACOOK, L. STEINKAMP. 

